Recent Posts: News Buzz Musings

By Bonnie K. Goodman President-elect Donald Trump is enlisting more CEO’s to help him govern. On Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, Trump announced via a statement the creation of a new advisory board the “President’s Strategic and Policy Forum” which will exclusively work to “bring back jobs and Make America Great Again.” Blackstone co-founder Stephen Schwarzman […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman Although the official announcement is not coming until Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump leaked whom; he is choosing as his Secretary of Defense. During his thank you tour rally in Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday evening, Dec. 1, Trump indicated that sources were right he intends to make retired Gen. […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman Current House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D -CA) staved off challenger Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), to remain the House Democratic Minority Leader for the 115th Congress. On Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, House Democrats voted 134-63 in a closed-door meeting to keep Pelosi in as minority leader. The Nov. 15 elections were […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman The harsh 2016 campaign is never ending. President-elect Donald Trump has a good reason to call his former opponent and 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, a hypocrite. On Saturday evening, Nov. 26, 2016, and Sunday morning, Nov. 27, Trump went after Clinton supporting Green Party nominee Jill Stein’s filing for a […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman President-elect Donald Trump is continuing to add to his cabinet. On Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, Trump announced that he is naming Fox News analyst KT McFarland as his deputy national security advisor and his lawyer throughout the campaign and transition Don McGahn as assistant to the president and White House counsel. […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman It is Christmastime at the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama received the day after Thanks giving Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, the last Christmas tree she will decorate at the White House of her husband President Barack Obama’s administration. Unlike the last seven years, Mrs. Obama was not joined by her […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman President- elect Donald Trump is finally adding some women to his cabinet. On Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 23, 2016, Trump nominated “charter school advocate and businesswoman” Betsy DeVos for education secretary. Earlier in the day, Trump named South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, R-S.C. as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Both […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman As President-Elect Donald Trump conducts numerous meetings with potential candidates to fill cabinet posts, there is another important part of the transition process moving into the White House. On Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, the New York Post reported that First Lady Melania Trump and son Barron would not be moving into […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman President-elect Donald Trump has done a first in history directly engage in a Twitter exchange and rant that was so common during his presidential campaign. Trump took to Twitter on Saturday morning, Nov. 19, 2016, after Vice President-elect Mike Pence went to see the Broadway musical Hamilton at Richard Rodgers Theatre […]

By Bonnie K. Goodman President-elect Donald Trump is beginning to fill up his cabinet, adding three more to the two positions he has already filled. On Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016, Trump named retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn as his National Security Adviser according to sources. On Friday, Nov. 18, Trump added to his cabinet by […]

RECENT POSTS: Together With Israel יחד עם ישראל

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS Remarks by President Obama at Memorial Service for Former Israeli President Shimon Peres Source: WH, 9-30-16 Mount Herzl Jerusalem 11:14 A.M. IDT PRESIDENT OBAMA: Zvia, Yoni, Chemi and generations of the Peres family; President Rivlin; Prime Minister Netanyahu; members of the Israeli government and the Knesset; heads […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu’s Speech at the United Nations General Assembly Source: PMO, 9-22-16 PM Netanyahu’s Speech at the United Nations General Assembly Photo by Kobi Gideon, GPO Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, What I’m about to say is going to shock you: Israel has a bright future at […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel Before Bilateral Meeting Source: WH, 9-21-16 Lotte New York Palace Hotel New York, New York 12:58 P.M. EDT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Mr. President, it’s very good to see you again. First, I want to thank you for […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu’s Remarks at the Memorial Ceremony for Those Who Fell During their Foreign Service Source: PMO, 10-10-16 The names of the 16 people from our Foreign Service who were killed during their service are engraved in iron and stone on the wall of commemoration behind me. […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS Address by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Opening Ceremony of the Memorial Day for Israel’s Fallen Soldiers Source: PMO, 10-10-16 Honorable Speaker of the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein, Distinguished guests, first and foremost my brothers and sisters, members of the bereaved families, As the son of a […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu and Vice President Joe Biden in a joint statement Source: PMO, 3-9-16 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning issued the following statement at the start of his meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden: “Mr. Vice President, Joe, it’s good to welcome you again in […]

ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF ISRAEL POLITICAL BRIEF: ISRAEL NEWS PM Netanyahu’s Statement on the Occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day Source: PMO, 1-26-16 Dear Friends, Preserving the memory of the Holocaust is more important today than ever for in this period of resurgent and sometimes violent anti-Semitism, it is commemorations like this that remind us […]

LEGAL BUZZ

By Bonnie K. Goodman

Ms. Goodman is the Editor of History Musings. She has a BA in History & Art History & a Masters in Library and Information Studies from McGill University, and has done graduate work in history at Concordia University. Ms. Goodman has also contributed the overviews, and chronologies in History of American Presidential Elections, 1789-2008, 4th edition, edited by Gil Troy, Fred L. Israel, and Arthur Meier Schlesinger published by Facts on File, Inc. in 2011.

COURT AND LEGAL NEWS:

IN FOCUS: JOHN EDWARDS FOUND NOT GUILTY ON 1 COUNT — JUDGE DECLARES MISTRIAL ON OTHER 5 COUNTS IN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS CORRUPTION TRIAL

Travis Dove for The New York Times
John Edwards outside the federal courthouse in Greensboro, N.C., with his daughter Cate on Thursday.

John Edwards Verdict: Not Guilty on 1 Count, Mistrial on 5 Counts

A North Carolina jury found former Sen. John Edwards not guilty Thursday on one of six counts in a campaign-finance trial, and declared itself hopelessly deadlocked on the remaining charges, leading the judge to declare a mistrial on those counts.

Edwards, a two-time presidential candidate, accused of soliciting nearly $1 million from wealthy backers to finance a cover up of his illicit affair and illegitimate child during his 2008 bid for the White House, was found not guilty on count 3 of the six-part indictment. That count pertained only to whether Edwards illegally received several hundred thousand dollars in donations from wealthy heiress Rachel “Bunny” Mellon to cover up the affair in 2008.

Following the verdict, Edwards, who remained silent throughout the trial, gave an emotional speech on the courthouse steps. He acknowledged his moral shortcomings and thanked his children, dramatically pausing when mentioning 4-year-old Frances Quinn, the baby he fathered with his mistress….READ MORE

Edwards not guilty on 1 count; Judge declares mistrial on other 5 counts: John Edwards was found not guilty on one of six campaign fraud charges Thursday, and the jury could not reach a verdict on the other counts, leading the judge to declare a mistrial on them…. – WaPo, 5-31-12

“Thank goodness that we live in a country that has the kind of system that we have.
This is about me. I want to make sure that everyone hears from me and from my voice. While I do not believe that I did anything illegal or ever thought I was doing anything illegal, I did an awful, awful lot that was wrong, and there is no one else responsible for my sins.
I am responsible. And if I want to find the person who should be held accountable, honestly, I don’t have to go any further than the mirror. It is me and me alone.” — John Edwards

For Edwards, Mistrial on 5 of 6 Counts: The lone verdict in the federal campaign finance case against former Senator John Edwards came on the third count, which involved donations from the heiress Rachel Mellon…. – NYT, 5-31-12

Edwards not guilty on 1 count; mistrial declared on other 5 counts: After 9 days of deliberation, a jury has found John Edwards not guilty on one of six charges of campaign finance corruption brought against him…. – CBS News, 5-31-12

John Edwards not guilty on one count, jury deadlocks on others: The jury in the trial of John Edwards deadlocked on five counts, leading the judge to declare a mistrial. They reached a not guilty verdict on one of the six counts. The judge excused the jury but asked to speak again with attorneys…. – Politico, 5-31-12

John Edwards not guilty on 1 count, mistrial declared in other 5: Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards was found not guilty Thursday on one of the six counts of campaign finance fraud against him. The jury deadlocked on the other counts, and the judge declared a mistrial…. – LAT, 5-31-12

John Edwards acquitted on one count as jury deadlocks on five others and judge declares mistrial: Johnny Reid Edwards, a honey-voiced North Carolina lawyer who parlayed his boyish good looks and inspiring personal history as the son of a mill-worker into a meteoric political rise, was acquitted of one count Thursday in a corruption…. – WaPo, 5-31-12

John Edwards whispers to parents, ‘I told you this would be OK’ after mistrial: The jury in the John Edwards campaign corruption trial has found him not guilty on one count and told the judge it could not reach a verdict on the other five counts, it told the court Thursday. Judge Catherine Eagles declared a mistrial on those five counts…. – NBC17.com, 5-31-12

John Edwards walks free after chaotic end to corruption trial: John Edwards, the former vice-presidential candidate who wrecked his political career with an extramarital affair, walked free from court on Thursday after a chaotic end to a month-long trial for using campaign funds to cover up his infidelity…. – The Guardian, 5-31-12